Vale Michael Gordon

TORQUAY’S surfing community has said farewell to Michael Gordon, who died suddenly on February 1.

The noted journalist and author, who had several surfing connections in the area, was taking part in an ocean swim at Phillip Island when he is believed to have suffered a heart attack.

Local surfing identity Terry Wall wrote this eulogy.

“Michael was 62 and had surfed throughout his life, particularly on the island, and wrote the book celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Bells contest (Bells – the beach, the surfers, the contest) and Layne Benchley’s biography, and also surfing articles for The Age newspaper.

“He was a celebrated political journalist, winning several Walkley Awards, and writing a definitive biography of Paul Keating and also the history of the Hawthorn Football Club with his father, Harry, also a celebrated journalist.

“He was always at the Bells contest over Easter, where his brother Gordo remains a WSL cameraman. As a goofy, he fancied Southside, and over many years a sneaky wave was shared there to avoid the Easter mob. Michael was a regular on boat trips to the Mentawais.

“We remember Michael as a good and caring man. Getting to know him initially through surfing would lead to discussions on life, and recently on tough things such as Indigenous issues and boat people. No journalist addressed these issues better than Michael.